1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a balance training apparatus designed to rockingly move a seat with a subject thereon so as to apply an exercise load simulating horseback riding to the subject to facilitate the training of his/her balance abilities.
2. Description of the Related Art
A balance training apparatus is designed to rockingly move a seat with a subject thereon so as to apply an exercise load simulating horseback riding to the subject to facilitate the training of his/her balance abilities. The balance training apparatus has been increasingly prevalent among general households as well as among health care facilities for the original purpose of rehabilitation. As a typical example of the conventional balance training apparatus, there has been known a technique as disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication 2006-61672, which is proposed by the applicant of this application. This Patent Publication discloses a compact-structured rocking mechanism housed below a seat.
While the rocking mechanism disclosed in the Patent Publication has a compact structure which contributes to cost reduction of the apparatus, a seat rocking pattern based on the rocking mechanism is limited to only a single motion where the seat is rockingly moved along a horizontal figure-of-eight shaped locus in top plan view. Therefore, as a subject becomes more skillful, he/she might not be completely satisfied with such a monotonous rocking patter.